Marcus Flavius Aquila

The Au11liary Cohort of the Second Roman Legion is Marcus's first command. He is just nineteen, a thin, dark, arrogant citizen of the city of Rome. His forehead is branded between the brows, showing the mark of the Raven degree of Mithras. Marcus is the son of a soldier. As a boy, he lived quietly on the family farm near Clusium while his father served with Legions in Judea, Egypt and Britain. His father had planned to retire in Britain, but instead marched out with the ill-fated Ninth Legion, the Hispana, never to be heard of again. Marcus's last name, Aquila, literally means Eagle, symbolizing his proud military heritage, bravery and his quest for the standard of the Ninth.

After Marcus's mother's death, Marcus was raised by his Roman uncle, a greedy official who sold the family farm. Marcus and his uncle never got along...